Help me figure out why I'm not losing weight?

Hi, I've been a lurker for about 2 months, but this is my first post. I hope you don't mind!

Since the first of January, I've been working hard at a healthy new lifestyle, but I haven't lost even a single pound? I also haven't seen any changes in terms of inches; my clothes still fit the same and I have not lost any inches. In fact, my jeans feel tighter now than they did in December.

- Starting weight: 251 lbs, 5'8" height -- plenty to lose.

- I'm not dehydrated. I drink tons and tons and tons of water - maybe too much water? More than a gallon a day, and I pee all the time.

- I haven't pooped very much since I've started eating less.

- I exercise by taking a walk 30 minutes a day. Maybe I need to ramp up my workouts? My day job is a sedentary desk job: Web designer; I sit in front of computer all day.

- I'm currently using myfitnesspal.com to track calories, logging every bit of food going into my mouth, weighing every food portion with a scale or with measuring cups, pretty well sure that my problem isn't the result of incorrectly estimating the calorie count. I don't have cheat days. I don't eat any "extras" that aren't logged.

- I'm not hungry! Oh, yes, the first 2 weeks were awful, but now that I'm a month into it, my stomach has, like, stopped producing hunger signals. I'm not hungry. I could go all day without eating anything. I eat at certain times of the day because I intellectually know that I need to, but I no longer feel that "Oh, time to eat!" signal every few hours. There's no way that this is a healthy or normal part of dieting, so what do you make of this? Is my lack of hunger tied to my lack of weight loss?

What is the calorie range of all this? I know for me to lose at that weight I need to consume 2400-2600.

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Still trying again. Never completely quiting this journey.Pounds to lose till lowest weight:Obsessed with the spin of sparkly hoopsMy personal hooping blog
Hit my highest weight again due to pregnancy. Nursing on WW.

Remember, as you weigh less, you'll need to cut your calories further to drop the weight, so you don't want to start out too low - you really shouldn't be cutting it lower than 1,200 as you progress, so you might be starting out too low for your body's needs at this point. Exercise is good for toning, but don't count on it to really help you with weight loss. The activity helps your body in so many ways, so it's definitely a good thing, but you can get to goal without exercise as many have done. It aids, but don't think of lack of exercise as a major factor in weight loss. Also consider - how exact was your initial weight - any chance that was off? Good luck.

Definitively way too low! I'd up it. You can use a calorie app like lose it! OR find a bmr calculator + harris benedict equation to get your baseline cals and reduce them a hundred or so.

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Still trying again. Never completely quiting this journey.Pounds to lose till lowest weight:Obsessed with the spin of sparkly hoopsMy personal hooping blog
Hit my highest weight again due to pregnancy. Nursing on WW.

More often than not people (not you specifically, so please don't take offense) are off on their calorie count. For example not counting the creamer in their 8 cups of coffee a day (whoops didn't account for 800+ calories right there) or the cookie they snagged at the office on top of the bites of dinner that were taking while preparing it. Or just a simple matter of eye balling their portions instead of weighing or measuring. Some people are great estimaters, I for one am horrible at it! You get the idea, just examples.

Are you having "cheat" days? If so that could very easily cancel out any deficit you've created throughout the week.

If you are 100% without a doubt sure you are intaking 1200-1400 calories a day plus not having any higher calories days on the weekends or whenever, I truly have no idea what the problem could be aside from something medical!

I would start using an app or online calorie program to help you track your calories. Myfitnesspal.com is a good one that I use. I would also weigh or measure all your food just to make sure your portions aren't off.

Yeah, the calorie count isn't the problem. I diligently weigh and measure every morsel I put in my mouth. I'm using myfitnesspal to track my calories. I am not having mayonnaise on my sandwiches, or any extras. I log the honey mustard dressing, I watch to make sure the clerk doesn't put too much dressing on my sandwich, I log to the calories in the cheese, I log the calories in each slice of meat (I mentally watch and count as the sandwich is being made.)

When measuring food portions, I always use either a scale or measuring cups. If I'm supposed to eat "2oz. chicken," I'll put it on a scale and make sure of that!

I am absolutely sure beyond a shadow of a doubt that my daily calorie count is 1,200. I'm very diligent about recording every bite, and I am already using myfitnesspal.

I don't know what's up. This is really frustrating and confusing, but maybe there could be a medical issue at play.

I was a little shocked to see that I gained 5 pounds over Christmas this year - that's never happened before.

I'd consider seeing your doctor then. If you are taking any medication that could be one factor, there's always a chance you have some kind of issue with your thyroid, or some other thing like PCOS which can make it more difficult to lose weight. Or who knows! Maybe nothing and it's just going to take some more time, water weight can definitely mask fat loss on the scale!!!!

Based on all that I have read on 3FC and MFP, I'd say 1200 is way too low for your body.

Since it's the 1st of the month, what if you "experiment" with your body and do 1500 calories a day (or some other number you pick) and see how it works out as of March 1st?

You have nothing to lose (but weight!) seeing that your low calorie diet didn't produce the results you were hoping for.

And remember, if you vamp up your workouts, you will have to watch your calories too in order to make sure you are getting enough to eat.

Our bodies are like science experiments, we have to figure out what works for us. And I found that what worked for me in the past doesn't necessarily work for me now (older, different activities, medicines, etc.).

Good luck! I hope you find something that works for you. Your dedication to the month of January proves you can stay on track and keep going from here!

It sounds to me like your metabolism has slowed considerable as a result of cutting too many calories too quickly. Of course I'm not a medical professional by any stretch of the imagination, but its something to consider.

- I'm not dehydrated. I drink tons and tons and tons of water - maybe too much water? More than a gallon a day, and I pee all the time. I would not drink that much. I'd aim for 64oz a day. Too much water and you will mess with your PH levels.

- I haven't pooped very much since I've started eating less. You're probably not taking in enough nutrients/fiber.

- I exercise by taking a walk 30 minutes a day. Maybe I need to ramp up my workouts? What's your day job like?